Many people carry a flashlight in their cars for intermittent or emergency use. There is a problem in that such flashlight batteries do at times become discharged and the flashlight may be inoperative when most needed. This invention covers a simple way to keep a direct current light hooked to a charging unit so that a small reliable fully charged portable light may be kept in the vehicle. The novelty of the unit lies in the combination of a simple flashlight modification so that a battery operated light may be hooked to a charging unit contained in a housing (that also will hold the light) and in securing an electrical source by a special adapter to connect into a fuse box. Further, the circuit leading from the light to the special adapter is fused so as to prevent damage from an electrical short in the system. In preferred embodiment of the invention the automobile fuse box is used as a current source. In this instance a fuse is removed, the fuse is then fitted into a fuse holder with 3-4" lead wires to a male spade type connector that plugs back into the space from which the fuse was removed; now another wire fastens to one side of the spade type connector, and then leads to the charging unit. This wire will normally contain an in-line fuse. The circuit to the charger is completed by a second wire that leads from the charger to a grounding point such as a screw head on a metallic part of the automobile
The invention then fills a need in a simple way, to have a reliable functional portable light readily available in a car. Special mounting mechanisms on the housing containing the charging unit allows mounting the housing which is the light and charger holder in a readily accessible place in the automobile passenger compartment. In one preferred mounting, metallic tines allow mounting the unit to the carpet by sliding the tines through the carpet. This then allows easy mounting in an unused part of the floor space in the passenger compartment. We have considered the following U.S. Pat. Nos.
1. 4,372,638 02/18/83 to Lawrence J. Sohler PA0 2. 3,320,385 05/16/67 to H. A. Sherwood
These patents are in the same field as the present invention but the present invention encompasses non-obvious and unique differences.